Blotting paper stock advertising card and process of forming same



MK OW M 5 ,an nu W# n f v WU A 4 2 N .om m 3 u 0 6 u .Il lllll llll l l I/N\ 0, G s IE... A r-ll. B e 2 m IE I- Z M m M l H f F 5. I O I l y I 1 w W. 5 w 5 m u w, P e M R D l m m M E R I nv M m /v L m 2 L n .MH A e 'J4 n, [I4 M c m m u l, G J Q n. n l K. m w -..w/.--E W c u .11. M F 8 m m O w I m. E| w n 9 G A". M 2 m H .vn f 0 N v Patented Nov. 24, 1936 UNITED -STATES PATENT OFFICE BLOTTING PAPER STOCK ADVERTISING CARD AND PROCESSOF FORMING SALIE Chauncey Kenneth Miner, Indianapolis, ma.' Application June 20, 1935, Serial No. 27,494

13 Claims. (Cl. 92;-68).

This invention is particularly directed to the changing or conversion of a standard paper product, known in the paper making and printing industries-as blotting paper, over a portion or desired area thereof to the appearance, color, finish,

approximate thickness and general character of a card or bristol board and then finishing for commercial application.

The basic idea of this invention is to apply a finish to a desired portion of a standard blotting paper, either coated or plain, on the blotting side, or sides, and to apply av color conversion, if desired, and a polish type finish to convert this portion into the character color, appearance and l5 feel of a card or bristol board, as desired.

One practical utilization of this conversion process discloses the following as an immediate means of employing the product to promote business activity, performing, in a better, more eilicient and economical way, the production of an advertising blotter with return post card and/or other utilitarian portion, or portions, attached.

Such a blotter and post card structure has all of the advantages of the prior art structures for similar commercial purposesand none of their disadvantages. The new blotter-card will be capable of production by this process at a cost of production no greater than that of the prior art devices, and usually at a cost very much less.

A feature of the invention consists of utilizing standard blotting paper stock, which as is well known in the industry, is provided in two formsone having a blotting face on both sides,

the other having a blotting face on but one side, 35 the other side of this second type stock being re1- atively smooth finished by being sheet 'mounted and calendered, coated or enameled or otherwise treated. Blotting stock of thesevtwo generalA characters is available in many colors, and in 40 the' latter instance the .blotting portion may be of a desired colorandthe backing of a different or, the same color. rlhe colors in this form may be the same, or of different colors, or diierent shades of the same color, as is well known in the 45 art. In the first instance, the blotting stock would be of the same color throughout. Standard stock colors now obtainable from paper jobbers, are white, cherry or pink and blue blotting with white or different colors on the finished or cal- 50 endered side'.

Usually, this blotting stock is supplied to the printers in standard sheet size of 19 x 24" or twelve up of 24" x 9.1/2,'b1otter, which means that each sheet is capable of forming twelve b1015- 55 ters of this size.

It is to be understood that both of these types of material or stock, are standard materials and purchasable by any printer. The backed stock has its backing and blotting portions suitably and coextensively secured together at the paper 5 mill.

The present inventioncontemplates the transformation of stock of either character into a structure which includes a blotter and a card, integral with each other, and necessarily formed 10 from the same stock, and which', in the preferred form of the article, the card portion has lost substantially all its blotting characteristics so far as writing ink is concerned, yet is nevertheless satisfactorily receptive to printers ink. 15

Another feature of the invention is to obtain a color contrast when desired, between the blotting portion and the card portion of the unitary advertising device.

A further extension ofzthe invention contem- 2o plates the transformation of the card portion to post card color, commonlyknown as Government cream post card color in the trade.

The process of transforming standard blotting paper stock consists in firstchanging the charac- 25 ter of the subsequently formed card area of the... advertising blotter to card or bristol board form, which simultaneously reduces the thickness of the standard stock and'changes the blotting surface thereof to non-blotting character, although said surface is receptive to printing pigmented ink for subsequent color transformation, if, as"`and when desired and/or receptive to printing-ink for ap-fA plying printed matter thereto. The aforesaid step of the process, as stated, simultaneously changes the character of the'stock as to thickness and simultaneously changes the surface of the processed stock to non-blotting character. Simultaneous therewith or subsequent thereto, as desired, the card or bristol board area and the 40 blotting area are definitely defined by providing readily severable connection means therebetween. This type of connection is well known in the print-` ing industry and needs no further explanation.

Also, there may be included in the rst step of theprocess a color changing phase by the inclusion of certain pigments in the sealing and y coating material. In some instances, where it may be relftively impossible to secure the complete color transformation desired inra single application because not enough color pigment to accomplish the complete color change desired can be deposited, the combined surface sealing and coloring step previously described, simultaneously changes the color in the card portion from that of the blotting stock color toward the final desired color of the card portion. Then the final color transformation desired is obtained in a second color change application.

Whenever a more decided color change is desired, the desired color contrast between the blotter and the card and the color change has not been affected simultaneously with the card formation and surface sealing thereof, the stock is rerun, as for example, through a vertical or other relief printing press device, when sheets are utilized, which applies the desired pigment to secure the desired nal color transformation. Such application may be of a further compressing character, if desired. l

Also, if desired, when a two-step process is employed, the formation of the readily severable connection may occur preceding, simultaneously or subsequent to the second step, previously described, instead of with the first step.

All of the aforesaid has beendirectly referrin to the processing of one face of the blotting stock initially having blotting characteristics throughout the entire area thereof.

When the blotting stock has opposite faces of blotting character, then the opposite face is similarly treated, as previously described, of course, the card transformation of the opposite face preferably occurring in registra-tion with the first face card transformation.

When the blotting stock does not have a second blotting surface or face, but one which is calendered, coated or baked, commonly called enameled blotter stock, the coated surface, when a colorI change is desired, may have the card portion area changed in color to that desired which usually, but not necessarily, is that` corresponding tothe color of the card area of thelblotting face -precedes the final steps `hereinafter set forth, and preferably is the first step of the back color change is desired.

As before stated, the transformed card area of the blotting face is receptive to printers ink. as

l well as receptive to ink -from a typewriter ribbon.

Also, as is well known in the industry, the nonblotting face of a single face blotter is also receptive to printers ink so that there is formed by this process a blotter and integral therewith, a card portion, the two having a readily severable con-r nection therebetween, the opposite faces f the lcard portion being of non-blotting character, al-

though receptive to printers ink and the like, and the blotter portion of the device having on its back a lithographed or printed advertising message and the corresponding face of the card area having thereon lithographed or printed matter.

'I'he color impression or transformationand/or the sealing and surface modification, may occur as in a vertical press by the use of a cold plate or with a warm plate, as desired. The use of the warm plate imparts a smoother nish. In other Words, it appears to polish the surface of the sheet which is subjected to the heated plate.

The temperature of the plate or roll must not be such that it materially alters the effectiveness of the color changing ink or sealing composition. Of course, if the surface is sealed and/or colored, then the temperature must not be so high as to scorch the stock or the outside coat ornish.

The stock when being transformed over the blotting side and necessarily prior to final print- .tion applied for transformation purposes.

process when a -paper mill.

ing or lithographing, may have its card portion surface on the calendered or enameled side or blotter card side or bothl sides, transformed to any desired finish simultaneously with the transformation or second colored step or at thqtime of hot plating by applying to the surface of the platen or cylinder a thin plate finished to apply a linen, crepe, "crackled", grained or like finish, as desired to one or both sides and in a manner well known in the art.

For a full understanding of the invention and by way of illustration and not by way of limitation, one example of the coating material applied under pressure to the 4blotting surface for transforming the same to non-blotting character, includes Lithotone which is a commercially available product, zinc oxide, paraffin wax, and a magnesia drier. The Lithotone is the base of the material, the zinc oxide serves as a ller and ls water repellent and thus is repellent to the absorption of Writing ink. Paraffin wax imparts a finish and also is Water repellent, and, therefore, repellent to Writing ink. The magnesia drier increases the consistency of the composi- It gives it body and assists in the setting o'f the composition `and secures relatively rapid drying thereof.

Whenever it is desired that the blotting transformation step 4simultaneously secure a color change, there is added to the composition the necessary amount of the desired pigment, which is usually the desired colored standard printing ink.

It should be understood that the sealing composition when applied to a White blotting surface, makes no color change. If the original blotting surface is colored, the sealing step does produce a color change to a lighter tint. For this reason,-

it is frequently desirable to add to the composition some of the color or pigment material used in the second step which produces a color of lighter tint than the final color desired. The second color application produces the nal'color.

The second application to the transformed surface is usually a simple color transformation utilizing standard printing ink of the desired color. The application of the surface transforming material seals the surface, lls it and sizes it, so that it, is receptive to printing ink for printing, lithographing and/or color changing and is not suitable for blotting, while or after the sheet is or has been so treated, the desired finish may be applied. Then the desired data-is applied thereto, as stated, by printing or lithographing. The sheet yis then severed into the individual devices and then trimmed in stacked relation as is Well known in the industry. The foregoing description of the process is applicable to substantially all printing plants.

The invention broadly, however, contemplates the production of stock of this character at the Instead of preparing blotter stock in the usual character and then cutting it into sheets to be subsequently sold to printers and then modified by the printers in accordance with Ato cutting to sheet size and prior to cutting to individual blotter size, as distinguished from the prlnters transformation, which occurs after cutting the blotting stock to sheet size and prior to cutting the transformed sheet to individual' blotter size. y

It is to be observed that practicing the process can only produce the resultant product, a combination blotter and card, one portion throughout its area having customary blotter characteristics and the other portion throughout the previous blotting area being transformed into bristol or card board formation of non-blotting character, the two being unitary although readily severable. When severed, there is provided a card which, if of post card character, must be within the `size limits specied by the Government and a blotter which is of polygonal form, usually rectangular in character and which when the stock is of coated or enameled character, has a relatively' smooth back or surface that extends coextensive with the blotting area. The resultant blotter has no unbacked portions or projections, either of which are objectionable to use as a blotter by the recipient.

Thus, life use of the blotter as such, by the recipient of the-present advertising device, is assured. This is because previous devices of this general character do not have a fully backed surface throughout the blotting area or it is .provided with projections. Such prior devices usually are quickly dispatched to the waste basket by reason of said objection on the part of the potential user. The blotter of the present device, not having these objections, is assured of continued use until substantially all of its usefulness as a blotter is exhausted. Thus, the advertising message carried by the back of the blotter portion is continuously before the recipient until the blotter is worn out.

A The card portion of the blotter, if of post card character, under present postal regulations usual'- ly will have printed onone face the address of the sender of the device with-'the usual return postage permit dataA applied thereto. The opposite face of the card portion of the postcard device may have on it a questionnaire of any desired character, addressed to the-sendii-of the device, and directed to the recipient .whose yaldress will be typed or stamped or stenciledontthat face. Usually, the recipientsname Vspaceais arranged on the back face', so that with calendered stock, the address readily can be written in ink thereon, although the transformed surface is sufiiciently receptivefor Written addressing. This address, when the advertising device is enclosed in a prepaid window type envelope, willl be exposed through the Window thereof and insure delivery of the device to the redipient.

Upon receipt of the 'post card type device by the recipient, it is removed from the envelope. The recipient may or may not check certain portions of the questionnaire and the post card portion is then detached and dropped in the mails. No signature is required since the typewritten, addressograph or other prepared address of the recipient serves as a notation of the recipients name and address to the original sender of the device. 1,

By the term questionnaire hereinbefore, it is not to be understood that the post card` portion necessarily must require some denite writing action on the part of the recipient because data equivalent to a questionnaire, such as the statement that a. representative will call, or the like, may be applied thereto. In that event, the only action required of the recipient of the post card form of the device is to detach the post card portion and deposit it in the mails. A

This device broadly has the advantage that the processed area of the device is of non-blotting character and that the recipient will invariably detach the card portion from the blotter portion to permit use of the blotter portion as a blotter. If of post card character, the\card portion will be consigned to the mails and the percentage of those consigned to the mails is materially higher than detachable post cards of prior art devices. The card portion may be of book mark, business card or like character instead of postcard form. If desired, the card portion may be divided into a post card portion and a book mark or business card portion. Since the present blotter does not have the objections of the prior art devices, as before set forth, there is alike material increase in the percentage of blotter users, thus insuring that the advertising message of the blotter is continuously before a larger number of potential purchasers. r

As stated, practicing ofthe process produces the unitary blotter and card and reference will now be had to a specific description of the latter as applied to a post card with a disclosure of the several forms thereof which will be producedby the several modifications o'f the broad process hereinbefore disclosed, dependent upon the stock utilized and the amount of processing employed.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing and the following description and claims:-

ysheet of standard blotting stock modified to produce the advertising device.

Fig. 4 is a 'view similar to Fig. 3y and of a modified arrangement of formation.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged endI elevation of a sheet of standard backed or enameled blotting stock of individual blotter size.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the same after the first operation, to wit, changing the blotting surface and stock to a non-blotting surface and post card character, respectively.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 and of the modified blotter after subjection to a color modification forcolor contrast purposes.

Fig. 8 is a vie'w similar, to Fig. 5 but on plain blotting stock. l'

Fig. 9 is a view similar-to Fig. 6 but of the plain blotting stock. A

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but illustrating the last surface modification when desired, other than printing or lithographing.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 but of the simplest form of the completed advertising post card blotter.

In the drawing, reference will first be had to Figs. 1 and 2, wherein the completed article is illustrated in post card and blott'er form. In said figures, Ill indicates the back of the blotter which may contain advertising matter bearing the desired message. vII indicates the opposite face of the same and comprises a blotting surface. One end of the blotter advertising device includes the portion I2 which on one face has printed thereon a suitable message or questionnaire and as `vat I3, the recipients .address or a space therefor. l The opposite face I4 of this area includes the senders address I5, usually printed thereon, together with the businessreply card notice I6 and the postal permitdesignation The two portions of the advertising device, which are integral, are defined by a common severable'connection I8 of a semiperforatable type common and well known in the printing industry.

Theblotter card device, after being fabricated and printed, lithographed, or the like, and reduced to individual-size, if not previously of that size, is then placed in a window envelope with the recipients name and post office address exposed through the Window of the envelope. The recipient of the device, upon receiving the envelope, removes the blotter card therefrom and since the card area, which must be at least equal in area to the minimum specified by postal regulations, if of postal card type, is of non-blotting character on the so-called blotting face, the recipient will detach the card portion from the blotter portion in order to retain the blotter for blotting purposes. If the recipient has no objection to being interviewed, for example, the detached card, if of post card type, may be immediately deposited in the mails or if it is of a questionnaire cl aracter, all the recipient has-to do is to place a check in the square, or squares, I9 provided on the face of the card above the recipient's address. No signature is required and'thus the amount of positive action required to be taken by the recipient of the device, is reduced to a minimum.

Upon severance or disconnection of the two portions, there results a blotter complete in form with no projections and with the blotting area coextensive ,with the back area which may be of relatively smooth character or, if desired, may be of regular blotting character with the printed matter proposed thereon. The card portion then may be used for other purposes, such as a post card.

The double blotter face form of the article of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 11. The single blotter face form is illustrated in Fig. 7 or 10.

In Fig. 5, 20 indicates the blotting layer and 2| a back of calendared or enameld finish. This is called a coated layer and may be of enamel or other suitable material. This is standard'blotting paper stock. The backing layer 2| may be printed or lithographed, as desired. The blotting layer 20 hasa portion thereof subjected to a pressure to reduce the same to approximately post card or bristol board thickness, as indicated in Fig. 6, the reduction being indicated at 22 and the readily severable connection being indicated by the numeral 23. This connection may be imparted to the stock as an individual step or simultaneously with one of the other steps.

Simultaneously with this reduction, which causes the blotting stock bre to be more closely compacted, there is applied to the surface a sealing coat 24 which, as before stated, seals the pores of this surface and transforms it from blotting character to non-blotting character, but while relatively repellent to writing ink, it is readily receptive to printing ink.

As stated previously, this coating material may include in it a pigment. However, in the pre- .ferred form of thev invention, the pigment is omitted in the transformation step last set forth and the device is subjected to a second operation which changes it from the character shown .in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. '7, and which is smooth finish imparted thereto on either or both sides, such as linen, grain, et cetera, by changing the plate and/or roll from smooth to a surface of the desired character or by mounting on the platen and/or cylinder an impression sheet of the desired character.

'Ihis device then is ready for the printer to lithograph or print unless it is desired to transform the post card portion of the back 2| to post card color, which is done by another impression.

In Figs. 8to 10, inclusive, there is illustrated what is known as standard plain blotter stock 30 and this has formed therein across one end, the readily severable connection 33 and the card surface 34, which is offset from the blotting portion as at 32. The surface 34 of the card portion is of the character shown in Fig. 6 and designated bythe numeral 24 therein.

The next operation that the plain blotter stock may be subjected to is that shown in Fig. 10 and the resulting surface is designated by the numeral 35. This is 'a color application. As previously stated, the color application may, when desired, be practiced with the coating application. As previously set forth, whenever necessary or desired, the non-coating transformation may include one color transformation and then a second color transformation may be applied. Such second color transformation may be necessary when it is impossible to obtain a color such as the Government cream post card color from the original colored stock of the standard blotting paper.

--Double color transformations will occur successively and may either occur after the sealing of the surface of the post card area or one of said color transformations 'may occurisimultaneously therewith, or previous thereto.

'I'his type of structure just described with reference to plain blotting stock, naturally leaves the entire back face of blotting character. This surface as is well understood in the printing art,A

is receptive to a printing operation and the same is indicated by the numeral 46 in Fig. 11. Numeral 40 therein represents the blotting stock, 43 the readily severable connection, 44 the sealed surface reduced as at 42 and printed as at 41. The advertising blotter shown in Fig.'11, therefore, is the simplest form of the article produced by the simplest form of the broad process.V

Whenever it is desired to modify the back of the plain blotter, stock after the stock has been subjected initially to treatment so it is in the form illustrated in Fig. 9 and following the color application 35, as shown in Fig. 10 whenever-color change is desired, the stock is reversed and the back face 3| is sealed as at 36, similar to the sealing 34, and then if desired, the sealed surface may be colored as at 31 and the blotter thus formed is ready," to be lithographed or printed.

The last mentioned color change may precedevidual blotter card size and-then trimmed, such cutting and trimming-preferably occurring after lithographing or printing, so as to reduce the number of operations and the amount of handling.

Merely by way of example, in Fig. 3, there is illustrated asheet of blotting paper of the chartion of the sheet from one side to the other, is an vjacent. side edge as it were.

area designated by numeral 5 l, providing two end areas 52. The area 5| is-the transformed areathat is, transformed from blotting to non-blotting character and this area may be transformed as to color as Well.

. Following this transformation, the sheet is printed or lithographed. The sheet is then severed along the lines 53 and 54 to form individual blotting cards. These `are then assembled and trimmed to finished size. Sheet 50 is what is known as a six up sheet-that is, it will provide six individual blotter cards. In Fig. 4, the same size 'sheet ,60 is illustrated, by way of example.

"The sheet is subjected to any one of the variations of the primary process to produce the two modified areas 6l at each end, the surface of each which has been transformed from blotting to non-blotting character and which may or may not be transformed as to color. The intermediate portion 6.2 is of original blotting character. Following printing or lithographing, the sheet is severed as at 63 and 64 to form six individual blotter cards. These are assembled and trimmed to finished size.

As stated, Figs. 3 and 4 merely represent gang or multiple production and depending upon the size of the sheet utilized. The Government post card 'specifications limit the minimum size of the card portion required, when a post card is desired.

The sheet may .be of such size as to produce a plurality of individual blotter cards when finally completed, to wit, 2, 3, 4, 5,6, 7, 8, 910, 11 or 12. 2, 3, 5, 7, and 11 could be produced with the blotter cards formed in'successive arrangement, one side edge being coincident with the ad- 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 12 blotter cards could be produced from a sheet when arranged in two or three rows-that is, end to end and in certain instances, side by side as first mentioned, such layouts being Well known in the printing art. With three rows 'there' would be one portion of single width like 6I and a double portion like 53 in spaced relation.

It will be apparent, therefore, that practicing the process through to completion, will produce the blotter card illustrated.

While the major portion of the specification has been directed to sheet transformation, as

hereinbefore pointed out, the invention is not necessarily restricted thereto but contemplates production at the paper mill of sheets of convenient size for shipment, each sheet including a plurality of blotter cards in gang arrangement of the desired finish and color and ready for printing.` The broad invention, therefore, not only includes the transformation of standard blotting paper but the transformation of standard blotting paper in strip form at the mill to blotting and non-blotting stock.

Since the invention is capable of more extensive commercial use by printers transformation, ernphasis has intentionally been placed on the blotting stock sheet transformation.

As previously set forth, the transformation of blotting to non-blotting character may be accomplished by cold or hot rolls in the paper mill or by cold or hot plates on relief printing presses in the printing plant, the use of the hot roll or hot plate providing a smoother or 'more polished finish to the modified or non-blotting surface.

While the inventionhas been setl forth in great detail in the foregoing specification, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. The various modifications both as to the article-and the process, the former being only obtainable by practicing the latter, as well as others which will readily suggest themselvesto persons skilled in this art, are all considered to be "within the broad scope of this invention, reference being had to the appended claims.`

The invention claimed is:--

l. The process of transforming blotting'paper to blotter andcard formation, comprising the compression of a selected` portion of the paper and the sealing the surface thereof to transform the surface of selected compressed portion to non-blotting character.

2. The process of transforming blotting paper to blotter and card formation, comprising passing the paper between complementary pressure mechanism for pressure applying a sealing composition to a portion of the surface. to form a non-blotting surfaced card portion and provide a blotting surface on a contiguous portion of the paper.

3. A process as defined by claim 2, characterized by' the sealing application 'resulting in at least three distinct surfaces, `two surfaces being of like character with an intermediate surface of dissimilar character therebetween.

4. A process of ,transforming blotting paper to blotter and cardv formation, comprising simultaneously compressing only a portion ofv the paper and sealing the surface of the compressed portion to forml a non-blotting card, and vthen desired. l

5. A process of transforming blotting paper to blotter and card formation, comprising simultaneously compressing only a portion of the paper and sealing the surface of the compressed portion to form a non-blotting card, and then changing the color and finish of the sealed surface t that desired.

6. The process of transforming vstandard enameled or like blotting paper to blotter-card Iformation, comprisingf' coloring a portion of the surface to define a card area of the enameled or the like back-of the paper, and compressing the card area andsimultaneously sealing the original blotter surface thereof. 7. The process of transforming standard enameled or like blotting paper to blotter-card formation, comprising coloring a portion ofthe surface to define a card area of the enameled or the like back of the paper, and compressing the card areaand simultaneously sealing and coloring the original blotter surface thereof.

8. The process of transforming standard enameled or like blotting paper to blotter-card formation, comprising coloring a portion of the surface to define a card' area of the enameled or the like back of the paper, compressing the card area and simultaneously sealing and coloring the original blotter surface thereof, and

ble blotting surface blotting paper to blottercard formation, comprising compressing only a portion of the paper to form the card area and simultaneously sealing one of the original blotting surfaces of the card area vand then repeating the compression and sealing upon the opposite registering surface of the card area.

11. A process as dened by claim 10, characterized by changing the color o! each card area l0 s'ealed surface to that desired. K

12. A process as defined by claim 10 characterized by the sealing of the card area blotting surface occurring simultaneously. with the coloring of the same.

13. A process as deined by claim 10, characterized by the sealing of thecard area blotting surface occurring simultaneously with the coloring of the same, and then changing the color of each of the sealed colored card area surfaces to that desired.

CHAUNCEY KENNETH MILLER. 

